Jest In Time
by worrywart
Summary: Potions are a tricky thing, and Hermione and Severus learn just how tricky one afternoon while brewing. The result sends them back in time where they learn a little bit more about themselves than they previously knew.
1. Chapter 1

**I thought I'd try my hand at a time turner story, which are some of my favourite stories to read. However, rather than the write an angst filled Hermione-falls-in-love-with-younger-Severus-and-will-he-still-love-her-in-the-future story, I took a VERY LIGHTHEARTED approach.**

**Severus, in this story, is out of character in that he neither dark nor emotionally repressed, and Hermione has lost her bookish, hand waving, prim know-it-all ways. I did not consider the epilogue in DH at all and of course, I disregarded the chapter where the sexy Potions Master dies; all other characters that JK Rowling killed off in her books are, sadly, still dead when I return our intrepid couple to the present day. Sorry!**

**The characters are irreverent and fun. There is a light bit of plot, but the point of the story is to have fun reading it. I simply am not fussed with all the minutiae of time travel do's and don'ts. If there are a few anachronisms or I've veered from events as they took place in canon or fanon, then….whoops!**

**Special thanks to TycheSong, WhisperGypsy, Jamies_Lady, and the woman who gave me virtual grandbabies, xpage394x. Your advice and cheerleading were fantastic! Also thanks to onecelestialbeing, just because.**

**I do not own the characters created by JK Rowling; that makes me sad.  
**

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Chapter 1

"Professor Snape," Hermione began with trepidation. "I really don't think this calculation is correct. This rune is not right." She tapped the parchment with her finger. "If you use it, the potion will not be—"

The Potions Master ripped the parchment she was holding from her hand with an angry grunt, giving Hermione a paper cut. "What do you mean, idiot girl?" He scanned the parchment. "I did these calculations and triple checked them. There is nothing wrong with these equations. The potion will work as predicted."

Popping the finger she had been sucking out of her mouth, Hermione growled, "No, it won't!" She snatched the parchment back, giving Severus a paper cut. "You've not considered that the cottonwood powder will react to the mandrake root, and that will cause this," she tapped the parchment again, "to react with the asphodel. The potion will not turn teal as it should."

Severus popped the finger he had been sucking out of his mouth and snarled, "I am Potion Master and you, Miss Granger, are not. I tell you this will work! Now add the ingredients as I have instructed while I finish chopping the dandelion roots."

"But, Professor!"

"Do as I say, Miss Granger," Severus snapped with finality.

Hermione fumed as she added the ingredients. Although she knew that she was required to do as she told at all times by her Master, she was sure that if she felt it was a matter of safety, she could simply refuse to do the work. _However, _she thought, _Professor Snape seems certain and, more often than not, he was right. _

She began to stir the potion the requisite number of times when Severus spoke, "Continue stirring while I add the dandelion root, and then stir anti-clockwise for seventy more stirs. We can then cast a stasis charm, and it will be nearly ready."

In years to come, Severus would swear he saw a spectacular geyser erupt from the caldron while Hermione would swear it was flames. Either way, the resulting explosion hurled the couple across the room and slammed them into the walls of the dungeon laboratory.

When they came to, Severus spoke first, "It seems, Miss Granger, I owe you an apology. I may have miscalculated that last line in the potion after all."

Hermione sat up rubbing her head. Her first reaction was _You think?_ but what came out of her mouth was, "Apology accepted, Professor."

The couple stood to assess the damage. Potion dripped from the ceiling, bits of cauldron shrapnel lay on the table, and smoldering bits of parchment were fluttering to the floor. Hermione glanced at her watch. "It's nearly time for dinner. Perhaps we should clean up and then eat. Afterward, we could look at the equation again and see what we can come up with?"

"Excellent idea, Miss Granger." Master and Apprentice began their task.

====SS====HG====

Hermione had been Severus' apprentice since completing her seventh year once the war was over and repairs to the castle were completed. In an hour-long ceremony, Hermione was bound to Severus as apprentice for four years. It was Severus' duty as Master to provide for his apprentice; a room was made for her in his quarters, and they shared the sitting room and bathroom (and that caused a few embarrassing moments as Severus was not used to needing to lock the door).

The pair got on surprisingly well. Something about Hermione's light-hearted attitude brought out a spirit in Severus he thought long dead.

They often played pranks on one another or together on other people. One of Severus' favourite memories to date took place during Hermione's second year of apprenticeship when the pair got spectacularly smashed, drunkenly wandered to Hogsmeade and proceeded to turn every building hot pink, a colour they both hated. Stumbling back to Hogwarts, the two went back to their quarters and drank some more, both becoming maudlin; Hermione over her defunct love life and Severus over his lack of love life. The pair passed out together in the sitting room only to wake the next day when a very angry Minerva stormed into their rooms and proceeded to scream the place down.

As punishment for their foolish behaviour, the pair had to go back to Hogsmeade, without benefit of a sobering potion, and clean up their mess. Angry shopkeepers would still not let the pair in their establishments at the same time.

Now in the middle of her third year, Hermione was beginning to formalise her final thesis and was preparing for a full year of teaching that would complete her fourth and final year.

Leaving the cauldrons to wash after dinner, they picked up their notes, returned them to their office, and went to their respective bedrooms to change, but quickly returned to the sitting room.

"Severus!"

"Hermione!" Each said at the same time.

"Did you—"

"Have you—" They stopped. Hermione said, "You first."

"Did you do anything to my bedroom today?"

"I was going to ask you the same question. My room is empty, nothing but boxes in it," Hermione babbled, hands gesturing in the direction of her bedroom.

"I was going to ask when you would have had the time to redecorate mine. It looks like that prat Lockhart redecorated my room!"

"We haven't been out of each other's sight since breakfast. When would I have had the time to do anything?" Hermione's stomach then grumbled loudly. "C'mon. Let's worry about this later and get something to eat."

They left the dungeons and made their way to the Great Hall. Along the way, Severus busied himself taking points off students for being out of uniform. Then he took points when said students gasped indignantly.

Meanwhile, Hermione couldn't help but wonder if the long nights in the dungeon were affecting her eyesight; when had Hogwarts gotten a new influx of students? She passed so many new faces!

Hermione stopped to stare at something, her mouth open in shock. Severus—busy telling off yet another student for being out of uniform—walked right into her just as she turned to call out to him. The impact resulted in both of them tumbling to the ground, Severus landing on top of Hermione with a painful thud.

"Merlin's hairy balls, Hermione," he growled. When he looked down at Hermione, he noticed she was staring at something to her left. Severus followed her line of vision.

"Merlin!" Severus gasped.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you for all your lovely reviews and for the follows and favorites! I appreciate them very much! Here is chapter 2 for you all to enjoy. I really didn't realize just HOW short it was, so I will quickly review chapter 3 and post it this evening as well. You lucky ducks!**

**Thank you to xpage394x, WhisperGypsy, Jamies_Lady, and TycheSong...my personal cheerleading squad.  
**

**JK Rowling still owns it, and it still makes me sad (or in Lolspeak...I haz a sad) **

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Chapter 2

"Well, I suppose that is one way to greet someone," a kindly, familiar voice chuckled. "However, as much as I would fantasise about being Merlin, alas, I am not." He reached down to offer a hand to Hermione, who was now Severus-less, as that man had leapt to his feet just moments before.

Severus and Hermione continued to stare at the apparently now alive Headmaster, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. "Kneazle got your tongues?" Dumbledore asked, his eyes twinkling.

Severus Snape's reputation excelled no others for his great command, rather extensive knowledge and creative use of his native tongue, as well as several languages that are now defunct. Regardless, at this point in time, the only thing that came out of his mouth was early caveman 'point and grunt' for he seemed to be doing just that...pointing at Dumbledore, pointing at Hermione, and grunting at both.

Hermione, on the other hand, known for simply being unable to _stop_ talking, was currently doing a very good Marcel Marceau impression.

Dumbledore, inwardly chuckling at the sight before him, interrupted the primitive chin wag. "Let's get you two to my office. Severus my boy, you have some explaining to do, and perhaps once you've mastered English again, you can introduce me to your lovely companion?"

The trio made their way to the Headmaster's office. Along the way, Dumbledore enthusiastically greeted colleagues and students while Severus and Hermione surreptitiously checked each other over for signs of curses. At one point, Hermione reached over and pinched Severus' buttocks.

"Ow!" he hissed. "What did you do that for?"

"I wanted to see if I was dreaming," she whispered out of the corner of her mouth.

"I thought you were supposed to pinch yourself," Severus whispered back, rubbing his backside.

"Well, since things are very weird right now, I thought I'd test a theory while I had the chance."

"What theory is that?"

"That you've got a tight arse."

Severus spluttered in an attempt to respond, but Dumbledore had reached the gargoyle guarding the door to the entrance. The creature immediately slid aside for him. Dumbledore gestured to Hermione to go ahead of him. "Ladies first," he smiled. "Severus, you're next."

The stairs started to revolve when another "ow" rang out.

"What was that for?" Severus asked, glaring at Dumbledore.

"She's right; you _do_ have a tight arse," squealed the headmaster.


	3. Chapter 3

**Here you go! Chapter 3. This will be it for a few days. I'll try to publish on Thursday, and then I am off to New York until the following Monday. I can't wait! It'll be the first time my six brothers and sisters and I will be together since 2007! YEAH! I imagine our get together will involve much laughter and alcohol. **

**Special thanks to my twinsy twiper, who has been my biggest cheerleader since we bumped into each other in utero. To the rest of my squad: xpage394x, TycheSong, WhisperGypsy, Jamie_lady, and onecelestialbeing, humble thanks to you all!**

**JK Rowling still won't let me own the characters, so she is NOT invited to NY with me. So there. *sticks tongue out, puts hands on hips***

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Chapter 3

Dumbledore directed Hermione and Severus to seats in front of his desk. He summoned a house elf to bring a tea trolley, and as soon as everyone had a cup, Dumbledore began to speak.

"I must say that these are very unusual circumstances. I happen to know that Severus Snape is currently attending an Herbology lesson in Greenhouse Four. How is it I see an older version of Mr. Snape before me?"

Severus cleared his throat, "I am not sure why this is the case either, sir."

Hermione placed her cup down. "If I may, sir?"

"Of course, Miss…?"

"Granger, Hermione Granger." She looked at Severus, unsure if she should have given her true name, but as he was known by his true identity to Dumbledore, she went along with it. "Professor Snape and I…."

Dumbledore clapped his hands delightedly. "Oh, so you DO wind up teaching here. I knew Horace was grooming you for the position!"

"Yes, well," Hermione said, (_and_ _the less said on the actual 'why' Severus became a professor, the better_, she thought) "Professor Snape and I were conducting an experiment as part of my apprenticeship. We had a bit of a….um…."

Severus cut across her, "We had a disagreement on whether or not I had translated a rune correctly. Her know-it-allness felt I had not, but I felt I had. There was an explosion, and we were knocked unconscious. Although we seem to be at Hogwarts, perhaps we are not quite _when_ we should be? You, sir, are quite a bit younger (_and alive_, he thought) and as you said, I am apparently a student here; which year?"

"Seventh," Dumbledore answered. "The question now is what to do with the two of you as we try to figure out how to get you back." Dumbledore sipped his tea, thoughtfully. "I suppose we could keep you here in the castle, or you could go to Spinner's End and conduct your research there."

"Spinner's End is not fit for habitation this time of year. Winters' at home were murderously cold, and the house is not well insulated. It was another of the reasons I always opted to stay at the castle during the holidays. If my younger self is in seventh year, then my parents died last summer; I imagine the house is in a state of further disrepair."

"I see," replied Dumbledore. He stood and went to a perch near the window where a large phoenix was resting. Dumbledore stroked the bird's feathers, and the bird trilled with song. Dumbledore seemed to be communicating with the bird because he was bobbing his head like a pigeon and make chirping noises.

Severus look at Hermione, dumbfounded. Hermione's eyes widened at the spectacle, and she slapped a hand over her mouth lest she laugh out loud. Snape's eyes crinkled at the corners in a near smile.

"It's settled then," Dumbledore announced, turning to face the pair. The younger couple started at his words. "Miss Granger, you will be sorted into the seventh year class. We'll say you came from Beauxbatons and moved here while your parents went on a sabbatical for free-spirited, nude, Wizard colonists in Poland." Hermione choked on her tea, and Severus obligingly thumped her on the back.

"Severus, I am in need of a History of Magic teacher. Professor Binns apparently wandered away again, as he is wont to do."

Severus' mouth dropped open, causing the tea he had just sipped to cascade down his front. Hermione 'tsked' at him and waved her wand, cleaning up the mess. "I am a Potions Master, not a bloody History teacher!"

"Well then, leave and spend the winter freezing your bollocks off at Spinner's End while we attempt to find a way to send you back."

Severus cringed at the idea, and his bollocks apparently didn't like the suggestion either, as they made a quick ascension into the cozy warmth of his abdomen. "I suppose I could wing it for a bit," he conceded.

"Very good. Now…names." Dumbledore tapped his lip with a long index finger. Hermione noticed he had filthy fingernails and made a mental note to never shake his hand or touch him again. "Hermione, you will become Hyacinth Green." Hermione gagged.

"Severus, you present a bit of a problem. Since you obviously look like the younger Mr. Snape, we shall say you are of the Prince line, long lost mother's uncle's sister's aunt's brother or some such—you choose—and your name will be Hubert Prince."

At this, Hermione burst out laughing. She pointed at Severus and wheezed, "Hubert? Oh my gods!" She could barely contain herself and fell from the chair laughing.

"Miss Granger," Severus yelled. "It is not that funny."

"Actually, it is," Dumbledore said, chuckling.

Severus shot a small Stinging Hex at Hermione. "Ow! What did you do that for?"

"I wanted to test a theory," Severus said, haughtily.

"And your theory is?" Hermione asked, rubbing her backside.

"To see how fleshy _your_ arse is."

That shut Hermione up instantly. She stood and smoothed her robes.

"Now that that is settled," said Dumbledore, "The two of you need to Floo to Diagon Alley to get some clothes for this time period. The school robes are different; I restored all those points you took away, Hubert; goodness you are a vindictive bugger, aren't you?"

Severus smirked in response.

"Severus, you'll have to pay for your own things. Hermione, here is a bag of galleons for you. Run along now children and get your things. When you come back, Severus, your rooms will be on the fourth floor west wing, and Hermione you'll be in the seventh year Gryffindor dorms. Whatever you do, do not reveal who you are to anyone, and keep out of trouble!"

As Severus and Hermione, or rather, Hyacinth and Hubert left the office, Albus shot a small Stinging Hex at Hermione.

"OW! What was that for?"

"He's right; you do have a fleshy arse!" giggled Dumbledore.

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**Thanks for all the reviews, favorites, and follows. You guys are fabulous!**


	4. Chapter 4

**JK Rowling is Mistress of it all. I am just the jester fooling around with it. **

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Remember…we are not concerned with anachronisms here. Just sayin'.

Chapter 4

Hermione was livid and as she stomped down the stairs, Severus could hear her twittering on about a fat backside, Pilates, and something called 'Buns Of Steel'.

"Let's leave from my floo in my new rooms," Severus said, biting back his chuckles.

"All right," Hermione agreed tersely, still a bit sore about the fleshy arse comments.

The couple arrived at Severus' new quarters, and he quickly set the password. "I've made the password 'Tempus Labilis Est'. Should you need me at anytime, you may use it." They entered the rooms and briefly looked around.

"Severus," Hermione began, "what are we going to do? How will we get back?"

"I am not sure. For the short term, you are a student, and I am the History of Magic professor. Let's take a day or two to get acclimated, and then I will assign you a horrendous amount of detention for annoying me in some manner, and we can meet to figure out what happened." Severus walked toward the fireplace and wandlessly conjured a fire. "I wish we had our notes. It will be hard to recreate what we were doing from memory; we'll need to start all over again," Severus ruminated.

"I actually have them!" Hermione exclaimed, digging through her robes. "I slipped them into my pocket after we cleaned up to look at when I thought we were going to dinner." Her stomach took a moment to remind her that she was hungry. "Oh, hey! I am hungry; can we eat when we get to Diagon Alley?"

With a hint of a smile, Severus glanced at Hermione's backside. "Of course; wouldn't want you to faint from hunger and land on your back—"

Hermione smacked Severus round the head and stomped over to the fireplace. "You go ahead," Hermione said, pointedly crossing her arms. "I'll follow."

"Why can't we go together?" Severus asked, his eyebrow quirky amusedly.

"Are you sure there is enough room for the two of us? With my fleshy arse and all?" Hermione responded, snidely.

"Certainly. Since my arse is apparently tight, there'll be plenty of room. Now get in here witch; I want to get something to eat as well!" He grabbed Hermione, shoved her in the fireplace, and the pair spun away.

====SS====HG====

Severus and Hermione sat at a table in the Leaky Cauldron waiting for their lunch order to arrive. Severus had ordered two bacon buttys while Hermione opted for some consommé and a salad. At their feet were their bags of shopping.

"Good gods, woman, how is it I have one bag, and you have, what is it," Severus mumbled as he counted, "twelve bags. What on earth do you have twelve bags of shopping for?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Well, as easy as your all black wardrobe is to coordinate, I prefer a bit more color. And of course I need shoes to match, jewelry to accent, make-up, books, quills, things for my monthlies, ink, parch-"

"STOP!" Snape gagged at the mention of monthlies. He then remembered that at least once a month he needed to make himself scarce and tended to find sudden appointments to attend. Hermione vacillated between weepy and angry, and as the entire castle knew—even the most naïve of first years—an angry Hermione was a dangerous Hermione. With glee, he thought of an entire castle full of unsuspecting students and staff. "That's enough; I don't need the full inventory," he said, shuddering faintly. "You might as well take the jewelry back; you know the rules regarding wearing of that stuff."

"Yes, but what if there is a ball? You should see the dress robes I got," Hermione gushed, making a dive back into her bags.

"No, no that's okay. I don't need to see anything!" Severus pleaded, afraid at what she might show him after she blithely mentioned 'woman products'. "Besides, lunch is here."

The two plowed their ways through their meals and when they were finished, Severus insisted they pay from the money Dumbledore gave Hermione. After that, he wanted to visit the apothecary and have Dumbledore 'help him' purchase one or two choice—yet expensive—ingredients. Once they were finished, they returned to the castle.

"Hermione, before you head to the Gryffindor dorms, please come to my quarters," Severus asked.

"All right," Hermione answered, warily.

Severus swept through the door and dropped his bag. He sat in a wingback chair near the fireplace and waved his hand. Flames burst into life, quickly heating the surrounding area. Hermione dropped onto the couch, her bags piled around her feet.

"What is it, Severus?" Hermione asked, frowning with concern.

Severus nervously ran his hands along the arms of his chair. "In our usual time period, you are aware of what I did and why."

"Yes." Hermione answered, not quite sure where this discussion was leading.

"And we have talked about Lily Potter. I know how you feel about what she did to me. You will be meeting her for the first time soon. I just need to be certain that you don't jeopardize our future because of how you feel."

Hermione looked at his face, seeing the veiled warning in his eyes. "You mean I can't drop kick her stupid arse for betraying your friendship over a word?"

"That is what I mean," He replied, his lip beginning to lift into a sneer, but then stopping as his voice turned more serious. "Please, Hermione, this is not going to be easy for me. Seeing her again as I knew her will be hard. Hell, I don't even know how I am going to handle seeing my younger self."

"Well, then let me offer you the same piece of advice. Do NOT do anything to jeopardize our future. Now, I must get to my room. I promise I won't do anything to Lily…much."

With a wink, she was out the door, Severus' "HERMIONE!" echoing down the corridor after her.

====SS====HG====

Hermione stood in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady and took a deep breath. Several thoughts ran through her mind, the highlight being that she must not strangle Lily Evans on sight. She and Severus had long discussions about what he had done to Lily, her inability to forgive him, and the choices he made as a result.

Severus had been shocked by Hermione's reaction when he told her. She likened it to Ron's leaving them in the forest while on the Horcrux hunt. Yes, she was very angry that her friend betrayed her. But he came back, asked for and was given forgiveness. Fickle Lily could not be arsed to do that for Severus.

Finally, Hermione gave the password and entered the room. A quick glance around found several faces she knew from pictures and from real life interaction. She spied Sirius, James, Peter, and Remus lounging on sofas and armchairs. With the exception of Remus, she did not like the so-called Marauders. They had made Severus' life miserable, and while Severus was not without fault, she still wanted to defend her friend.

Her head spun in light of the situation and before she could gather her bearings, a slim, redheaded woman approached her. "Hi, you must be Hyacinth; I'm Lily Evans, Head Girl. Pleased to meet you!"

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I hope you like it! Just a little something to tide you over until I get from my trip Monday night. If I am awake and able, I'll post chapter 5!


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi! I had a blast at my mini family reunion. I really can't express how wonderful it was to see my brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, an aunt and cousin and dear friends of the family. I also heard, first hand, reports of what happened in NYC during Hurricane Sandy from my niece and her fiancee who live there. **

**Onecelestialbeing...I am certainly in sympathy with you after hearing their stories.!**

**Thank you to my cheerleading squad. **

**JKR owns it...not me. **

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Chapter 5

Severus knew that running into his younger self was inevitable; however, he did not expect it so soon.

As he wandered toward the Great Hall for dinner, he heard the shouts of curses being thrown from the Charms corridor. He hurried in that direction, and as he rounded the corner, he stopped short.

There was his younger self, backed into a corner, wand not even at dueling stance, looking thoroughly ready to be hexed into oblivion. In front of his crouching figure were two boys he had hoped never to see again; Sirius Black and James Potter.

With vindictiveness dripping from his voice like syrup, he called, "Black, Potter; fifty points, _each_, from Gryffindor and detention for a month. Now, get to dinner and then report to Filch afterward."

James and Sirius stared at the tall, hooked nose professor, dumbfounded. What teacher dared to take points from the Lords of Gryffindor? Once they recovered from their shock, they realized that the boy they were hexing and the teacher they were facing looked very much alike.

"Take a picture, it will last longer," the elder Snape sneered.

Sirius seemed to regain his swagger first and snidely asked, "Who are you to be taking points? I've never seen you before."

"I am the new History of Magic Professor. Get to dinner, or it'll be another months' worth of detention!" Severus snarled and he watched in delight as the boys gaped at him in shock. "NOW!" The boys leapt to obey him.

Using the distraction of seeing his tormentors getting yelled at, younger Severus had pulled himself together and was about to sneak off. "Snape, stay," said Severus. When the two marauders turned the corner, the elder Severus turned and slapped his young doppelganger upside the head.

"Ow," Severus rubbed his head. "What the hell did you do that for?"

"Manners, boy. Your wand work was deplorable back there. You should have kept it at _dueling stance_ the entire time. Never let your enemies see that their hexes have weakened you. Once they see that, you're finished. You need to throw two moderate spells to lull them, and then come in with the hard spell to throw them off."

Severus, continuing to rub his head asked, "Yeah well, I had a bad day and wasn't thinking clearly."

"Obviously," Severus said, elongating each syllable as he looked over his younger self.

"Who are you, and why do you look like me?" younger Severus asked, openly looking at the man who so greatly resembled himself.

Severus cringed as he announced, "I am Hubert Prince, History of Magic professor. Apparently, our ancestors climbed out of the primordial ooze together and immediately mated, therefore making us related and causing the nose. I believe your mother is a cousin removed so many times she's on the whippy end of branches on the family tree."

"So, what am I to call you Uncle Hubert? Uncle Hugh? Uncle Huey, Uncle Prince?"

"You may call me Professor Prince, you insolent brat. Now get to dinner, or I'll take points from you, relative or not."

====SS====HG====

After dinner, Severus decided to track Hermione down. He was anxious to find out how her first meeting with Lily went, and he wanted to form some sort of plan for the next day or so. Wondering where she might have gone, he remembered her second home, when she was a student, was the library. He suspected he would find her there and headed in that direction.

When he entered the library, he noticed she was not at the larger tables in the center of the room, so he made this way through the stacks to the study desks along the back wall. As he suspected, he found a head of bushy hair bent over a book at the end desk.

"Miss Green," he announced, silkily.

Hermione jumped, dropping the book she was reading onto the floor. "Jesus, Severus! You scared me half to death!" She bent over to pick up the book.

"Language, Hyacinth; I may have to take points," Severus chuckled.

"Oh, please don't," Hermione implored. "Lily informed me that for each point a Gryffindor loses, they have to scrub all the girls or boys toilets in the dorm; a day per point."

Severus actually smiled and gleefully reported, "Oh, then in that case, you'll be seeing Black and Potter quite busy for the next 50 days…each!"

"I bet you love the thought of that!" Hermione laughed.

"Of course." He allowed himself a moment to enjoy the thought of Black and Potter elbow deep in toilets before somberly asking, "How did your first meeting with Lily go?"

Hermione snorted and crossed her arms over her chest. "I wanted to punch her the whole time, and not for you either. You never told me how condescending she could be. It was as though I were the gum on the bottom of her shoe. I felt I should bow and scrape. Do you think she knows the royal wave?" Hermione held her hand up as though she were waving to adoring crowds.

Severus shoved his hands into his trouser pockets and leant against a handy chair. "She did change a lot once Potter got his hands on her. I imagine she was probably feeling quite privileged for dating a pureblood."

"Yeah well, we'll see how privileged she feels when she goes to bed tonight."

"Hermione, what did you do?" Severus implored.

"Nothing, nothing." She looked away from Severus and fidgeted with the pages of her book.

"Hermione…"

"Okay, I put Bubotuber pus between her sheets. There, you happy?" She looked him squarely in the eye as if challenging him to tell her off.

"Oh, that's a good one. I'll have to tell my younger self about that." Severus grinned at Hermione and was amazed at how quickly she slipped from mischievous prankster to concerned confidant at the mention of teenage Severus.

"Have you run into him yet?" Hermione asked, concern in her voice.

"As a matter of fact I did."

"And?"

"He wanted to call my Uncle Huey."

Hermione laughed, "You were cheeky then, too?"

"Well, not when I was younger, too much. You've been a bad influence." Severus quirked an eyebrow at the young witch.

"I'll take that as a compliment." Hermione smiled.

"Please do. However, flowery compliments are not why I wanted to find you. I came to discuss with you what to do for the next few days. As I said earlier, let's take a couple of days to acclimate. Today is Wednesday; when do you have History of Magic?"

Hermione pulled her schedule out of her pocket.

"Hey, where's your book bag?" Severus searched the ground around her.

"I left it in the dorm."

Severus immediately placed his hand on Hermione's forehead. "Do you feel well?"

"Oh ha-ha," she said haughtily. "Since I don't really have to worry about exams and homework, I am going to just relax while I am here. I imagine once we start to research getting back to our own time, I'll be busy." She scanned her schedule. "Okay, I have History of Magic on Monday."

"Good. Remember to do something obnoxious so I can assign you detention for the rest of the year."

"What would be obnoxious enough to warrant detention for the rest of the year?" she asked, eyebrow raised.

"I don't know. Witch's choice."

"All right, but just don't take points! If I have to clean one toilet while I am here, I will make your life miserable in two time periods!"

Severus laughed and together they made their way out of the library. As they left, Hermione asked, "So how was it meeting yourself?"

Severus thought for a moment before replying, "I had forgotten how many pimples I had."

"Oh dear, the nose and pimples?"

"Well," Severus dragged out the syllable. "Nature made it up to me in other ways."

Hermione looked at Severus, attempting to figure out in what other way nature could have made it up to him. When he raised an eyebrow at her, she realized what he meant and blushed furiously.

"Well, um," she cleared her throat. _Don't look at his crotch…don't look at his crotch._ "How nice for you then," she squeaked, forcing herself not to take a glance at his crotch. "What else happened?"

"I remember this incident as I remember all the others. Seeing it from this perspective was surreal. Black and Potter had me backed into a corner and hexing me. He was pathetic; not even a battle stance. So I took points off the Marauders, assigned hem a months' worth of detentions, smacked younger me upside the head and introduced myself."

"And?" Hermione asked.

"Why do you always ask 'and'"?

"You've asked me that for three years now, Severus. Have I ever given you an answer?"

"No, because you give me the poppy eyeball thing you do, and I have no choice but to answer you so you'll stop. It's quite creepy actually."

Horrified, she cried, "I do no such thing!" and reached up with her hands to pat her eyes.

"Regardless. I had to fight every urge I had to not Imperious my younger self and force him to move to Australia or some remote island so I wouldn't make the stupid decision I did."

"But didn't you become a Death Eater in seventh year?"

"Not until Christmas." Severus hung his head.

"Severus," Hermione turned her tone serious. "It's October now. You know you can't influence him in any way." They reached the point where they would need to split up to go to their respective quarters. "You mustn't change anything now because it will change what we will go back to."

Severus replied, his voice rising as he spoke, "I know Hermione, trust me I KNOW!" Silence hung in the hall.

Hermione took his hand in hers, rubbing her thumb over the top of his. "Severus, if I could change things now and still have it so we are friends in the future, so that all we know who died didn't and all the pain you went through you never happened, I would in a heartbeat."

Severus spoke so quietly Hermione had to strain to hear him. "I could be happy though, not just now, but for my whole life."

Hermione squeezed his hand. "You know in your mind what is right, Severus. Just know that when we get back to our own time, that you will have done it all already, and you will not have to re-live it."

"He will though," he muttered, his eyes never leaving the hands that were joined.

"Theoretically yes, he will. The only thing you will have is the memory of what you did. Let that be of some comfort."

They looked at each other for a bit and impulsively, Severus leaned over and kissed Hermione's forehead. "Thank you, Hermione. Now it has been a long day and we should get some rest."

"Goodnight, Severus."

"Goodnight."

As she turned she felt a stinging on her backside. "Ow! What was that for?"

"You know a good scientist must be able to get the same results when testing a theory to prove its validity!" His voice fading as he moved farther down the hall and at quite a clip, too!


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry for the delay. Real life swooped in and stole me for a bit. But, here we go with another installment. **

**JKR still owns it, etc, etc, etc.**

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Chapter 6

The rest of the week and subsequent weekend passed slowly for Severus and Hermione. The entire school was agog with gossip about how the new History of Magic professor looked a lot like that greasy git, Severus Snape. The new professor also seemed to take an inordinate amount of points for things like blinking, breathing, or walking out of sync with the other students.

Young Severus had a new form of torment to endure, and for that, the older Severus was sorry.

No one confessed to putting the Bubotuber pus in Lily's bed either. The Head Girl had gotten into bed only to start screaming immediately, and then ran to the hospital wing. Hermione simply placed a Silencing charm around her bed and pretended she was asleep.

Monday arrived at long last. When Hermione entered the Great Hall for breakfast, she sought out the face of her friend/professor/fellow time traveler and received a slight nod of acknowledgement. She sat down, spoke briefly with a few of the other students and began to eat. Before long, the bells for class rang, and the students left en masse.

She had History of Magic as her third class on Mondays. As she entered the class, she was still unsure just what she could do that would warrant a detention for the entire year, so she aimed for one of at least a week and could go from there. She found an empty seat in the middle of the room, pulled out her text, opening it to a random page and sat waiting for the others and Severus to arrive.

The door swung open and the Marauders entered, James and Lily leading the way. The crowd of students that followed was noisy. Sirius slide into the seat next to Hermione and began to chat her up, not even noticing that she was supremely uninterested.

"Hey, Hyacinth. You're a sweet girl. What say you and I head to Hogsmeade this weekend?" Sirius preened with confidence; no girl ever turned him down.

Hermione turned blandly to him and replied, "A: I am not a sweet girl, I am a sweet woman. B: It is not a Hogsmeade weekend, and C: You're a dog, a flea-bitten one at that, and I'm allergic, so I think not." She turned to the open book in front of her and began to read.

Sirius, stunned at his failure to 'get the girl', looked at his mates to back him up, but before he could say anything, Severus entered the room, slamming the door shut in his wake, and went to his desk. Setting his book upon it, he turned to face the class, folding his arms over his chest. Hermione suppressed a laugh.

"Something funny, Miss Green?"

"No sir."

Severus looked at Sirius and sneered. "Mr. Black, do stop drooling on Miss Green and return to your seat. Even I can see she does not appreciate your pedestrian attempt at seduction."

Sirius moved over to his usual seat, his indignation very apparent.

"I am Professor Sn-Prince, your new History of Magic professor. Your days of ease are over. I suggest you open your books to Chapter Six, get out your quills and prepare to take notes."

The class sat still, not quite comprehending that the class they had come to know as the perfect place for a nap, catching up on homework from other classes or generally goofing off in, had come to an abrupt end.

"Are you unable to hear? Get your books, NOW, and twenty points off to whatever house you're in, each!" Professor Prince roared.

The sounds of people blowing the dust from unused books could be heard throughout the room; a few of the books actually creaked at the bindings as they were opened for the first time.

Hermione glared at Severus. He knew damn well she did not want to scrub toilets. "Professor Snprince, I have a question."

"Miss Green, it's Prince, not Snprince."

"But you said a bit ago that your name was Snprince," Hermione said, attempting to be very confused.

"I misspoke, you twit. Now, what was your question?"

"Since you seem to have already _flushed_ the class' expectations of goofing off down the _toilet_, may I ask what the course syllabus will be?" She smiled sweetly at Severus.

Visions of dangerous Hermione flashed through Snape's mind as he realized he took points off her when he deducted them from the rest of the class. His tongue tripped over the near apology as he said, "Oh, thank you, Miss Green. Twenty points to Gryffindor. Now the syllabus for this class is…"

Class droned on. It seemed Severus did not have the same flare for History as he did for Potions, other than delivering the lecture in a monotone a la Professor Binns. Hermione zoned out, doodling on her paper and had not noticed when Severus had begun to walk around the room as he lectured.

When he came to Hermione's desk, he stopped to gaze at her notes. She had drawn little bats with Severus' face on them and charmed them to swoop down on stick figures labeled Sirius and James. He cleared his throat, "Miss Green, is my lecture too boring for you?"

She jumped when he spoke and smacked her knee on the underside of the desk. _I'll get your for that you git, _she thought_. "_Yes, Professor Prince."

"What?" Severus deadpanned.

"You asked if the lecture was too boring, and I answered." Hermione looked directly at the man, her eyebrows quirked, attempting to relay her intent. Her classmates were stunned; a few snickered.

"Well, considering that you seem to feel bored, should I do a dance? Sing perhaps?" Severus gestured with his hands as though he had a dancing partner.

"Oh, I bet with that gorgeous baritone voice of yours, which by the way is very swoon worthy, you'd sing beautifully." The class gaped at Hermione's remark.

"Or perhaps," Severus whispered dangerously, "I should just assign you detention for the rest of the week and see if your interest in the class picks up?"

Hermione again looked directly at Severus and winked. She hung her head and responded as contritely as she could without laughing, "Yes sir."

The rest of the class smothered their laughter. "Any of the rest of you interested in a little detention? From what I understand, you Gryffindors will too be busy scrubbing toilets to attend detention.

Homework!" he barked, striding to his desk, and the class gasped in unison. "Yes," he said drawled lazily, "a first for you all isn't it? Or rather, a first that you will actually have to hand it in. Four feet of parchment on the basis of the origins of Merlin to be handed in next class. DISMISSED! Miss Green, see me to arrange your detention!"

The class filed out grumbling loudly. "Who does he think he is?" asked several of the students. Hermione sat her in seat and waited until the room was empty.

"You certainly got on their bad side quickly."

"This could actually be fun," Severus said. "The chance to take Black and Potter down with no reprisals."

"How did you do with seeing Lily?" Hermione stood and walked to the desk, leaning against it as they talked.

Severus sat a few minutes thinking. "I must admit that when I first saw her, I felt all the old feelings, but surprisingly, they faded quickly; perhaps time has allowed me to see her for what she truly was."

He never realized just how shallow Lily was because when he was younger he was so desperate for a friend. When Lily had known nothing of the Wizarding world, she hung on his every word, feeding his love-starved soul just what it needed. However, once school began and they had been sorted into separate houses, it became harder to maintain their friendship and things changed. Lily was still friendly to him but as time went by, she distanced herself from him, and on that fateful day, the tie was broken forever. He compared Hermione to Lily and found that if he were young again, he would probably choose Hermione as a friend over Lily.

'Are you okay with that?" she asked carefully.

"I don't know. I think so." He changed the subject. "Do you have the notes with you?"

"No, they are in my room. I can bring them down later if you'd like."

"That will be fine. For your detention, I want you to meet me here in the classroom at seven o'clock. We'll work through the steps we completed that resulted in the explosion and then head to the library to see what we can find to help our research."

"Have you given any thought to how we can get back?"

"I think it may be a matter of finding the rune that was mistranslated-"

"I thought I pointed that out to you already," Hermione replied, exasperatedly.

"It may well have been that rune, or it could have been something else; the ingredients may not have been added in the right order, the wrong amounts; it could be anything. We just don't know yet."

"Okay, okay. I need to get to my next class. Can I have a pass?"

Severus scribbled a note for her. "I'll see you at seven then."

Hermione reached for the note purposely ensuring her fingers wrapped around his hand, and then she left the room.

Three…two…one…

"MISS GREEN!"

Severus' robes were buttercup yellow.

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**Hope you liked it!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank you all who have reviewed, followed, and placed this story on your favorites list! It truly humbles me. **

**I decided to upload this sooner than I might have to help reach my ultimate goal of making Onecelestialbeing snort a drink through her nose. **

**For the rest of my cheerleading squad...you guys rock! Now, shall we start our mission of making JKR assign it all to me? No? Oh well, a girl can dream.**

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Chapter 7

Hermione's first encounter with the younger Severus took place just two hours later in her first Potions class. Slughorn welcomed her into the room and quickly introduced her to the class.

"Everyone, this is Hyacinth Green, a new seventh year." Slughorn beamed with pride, calculating with his beady eyes just what worth Miss Green's connections could be for him. "Let's see…who to partner you up with. I know! You sit there next to Mr. Snape. He'll catch you up."

Severus glared as the bushy haired woman walked over and took a seat next to him. Something was off about her. She seemed just a bit too relaxed for this class. The way she walked, and the way she didn't seem to have that 'new girl in the class' nervousness was unusual to his way of thinking. It immediately set her apart from the rest of the girls in his class. Oh well, not that he was looking for a woman in his life. He knew where his path was leading, and if Malfoy's stories were true, there would be no shortage of women when and if he desired.

A bossy cough interrupted his thoughts. "Hem, hem."

"What," he hissed.

"You're chopping the Sopophorous bean wrong. You should crus-"

"Don't you dare tell me what to do, woman!" the young man snapped.

Hermione slapped his hands away from his bean. "Do NOT call me _woman_, and I am telling you you're doing it wrong." She snatched the knife away from Severus, giving him a slight cut on his finger. She began to crush the bean with the flat of her blade. She quickly picked up the crushed bean and held it over the cauldron as the juice flowed copiously from the pulp.

Severus popped the finger he had been sucking out of his mouth and snatched the knife from Hermione, giving her a cut on her finger.

"Well, okay so you knew that," he drawled, peevishly.

Hermione popped her finger out of her mouth and said, "Yes, and I know that unless you turn the heat down, the cauldron will explo-" With that, the mixture in the cauldron blew into the air, raining potion down on everyone.

"You stupid bint!" hollered Severus. "See what you did?"

"It's not my fault you weren't paying attention," Hermione said through gritted teeth. She had her wand out, quickly cleaning up the area and fellow students.

"Green, Snape!" Slughorn shouted as he galumphed over to them. "What is going on? Mr. Snape, you have never blown up a cauldron in all your years here. What has Miss Green done?"

"_Miss Green_," Hermione interrupted, her head snapping between the two men, "has done nothing. Had _Mr. Snape_ listened to me in the first place, this would not have happened."

"Look, you bushy haired know-it-all; I've been managing for six years in this class without you, I don't need, nor do I want, your advice," Severus snapped, looking down his nose at the shorter woman.

The rest of the class had become silent as they listened to the two argue. No one really ever gave Severus the time of day, in class or out for that matter. To hear the new student not only stand her ground with him, but tell him what to do was amusing.

"Enough you two," spat Slughorn. You both have detention after dinner with Filch. Now clean this up and leave; class is dismissed!"

The two grumbled as they cleaned up their work area. They got into a bit of a kerfuffle when they both tried to use the sink at the same time, so Hermione silently hexed Severus and left the room.

Severus didn't realize he had been hexed until he went to walk away from the sink and fell to his knees. His shoelaces had been tied together. Fortunately, there were no students in the room, and Slughorn had left, so no one saw his humiliation. He vowed to get the stupid girl back if it was the last thing he did.

====SS====HG====

Hermione arrived at Filch's office a few minutes after seven that evening. She waited until Severus arrived before knocking at the door. She heard Severus before she saw him and chuckled; apparently he hadn't learned to slink about as quietly as he would when he was older, although he did seem to have a pubescent billow going with his robes; they wouldn't mature to a full billow until he was a bit older.

"Green!" Severus seethed. "How dare you hex me!"

"Who says it was me that hexed you?" Hermione folded her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow at him.

"You seemed in an awful hurry to leave after class this afternoon." He began to move toward her, effectively forcing her to walk backward toward the wall.

"Well, you were being so friendly to me. I was overwhelmed by your kindness and needed some time to myself," she answered sarcastically.

Severus stopped once he had her backed against the wall. "No one hexes me and gets away with it," he threatened.

Hermione looked into his face. He was so young; no lines of worry, no eyes that carried the weight of the world. He was unhappy, she knew. He had lost Lily last year, and he would soon be taking the Dark Mark. If only she could change his mind. "Get off me, Snape, or it won't be your shoelaces next time." She pressed her knee delicately into his groin.

He hissed and backed off.

At that moment, Filch opened his door. "Ah, you two scalawags have the school talking. It's no wonder you're here with me now. Get them buckets," he pointed just inside his door, "and come with me. I've got a wing full of armor that needs cleaning."

The pair grabbed their buckets and wandered after Filch. He led them to the fifth floor where there were at least twenty full suits of armor. "NO magic!" he spat at them. "I've set the portrait of Sir Dennis the Double-Jointed to watch ya; he'll report if you use magic. Bring the buckets back when you're done." Filch left the pair gaping after him as he shuffled off with Mrs. Norris padding after.

Severus rounded on Hermione. "I will not clean anything. YOU will stay here and clean the armor. You can tell Finch I helped." He started to walk off, but Hermione threw a _Petrificus Totalus _at him, and he fell to the floor.

She was on him in an instant, wand at his throat. "Let's get one thing straight, Snape. I am not an idiot, and I am not your lackey. I did nothing to warrant your behavior towards me at all. Now I am going to let you go, and you will stay here with me and help or perhaps…" she tapped her wand on his groin. "I didn't make myself clear earlier?"

Severus blinked in acquiescence, so she lifted the curse, allowing him to stand up.

"You've got bollocks, Green," he said, dusting off his robes as he stood.

"Call my Hyacinth, and I am sure you know by now women do not have bollocks. I do, however, have _chutzpah_." She smiled at him, and he rewarded her with a small smirk…that ended in a dimple. _Severus has a dimple? Since when? _she thought. _I wonder if Hubert has one…_

"Where did you learn that bit about the beans?" They both moved to the first set of armor.

"I had an excellent Potions professor at my old school. You remind me of him. He was brilliant and a bit reclusive as well."

"Yeah, well it's not hard to be reclusive when most of the students here hate you," Severus snorted.

"That's not true."

"Well, there are a few that tolerate me."

"I like you."

Severus' eyes bulged. "You have just met me, you threatened to hex my bollocks off, and you say you like me? You are mental, you know that?" Severus shook his head in wonder as he scrubbed the armor in front of him.

Before she had a chance to answer, Professor Prince rounded the corner.

"There are you Miss Green. I thought I had assigned you detention with me this evening?"

_Oh, Merlin's hairy ones, _Hermione thought. "I am sorry, Professor. Mr. Snape and I got into trouble…"

"Spare me the details, Green." He flicked his wand, and all the armor shone. "Let's go. Snape get back to your common room."

"Yes, Uncle," Severus replied, cheekily.

"Five points from Slytherin!"

====SS====HG====

Hermione returned from her detention rather late to find the common room nearly empty. A flash of red caught her eye and she looked over to find Lily Evans curled up in a corner of the couch reading.

She looked up when Hermione entered. "Hyacinth, you're back late."

"Detention with Professor Prince."

"Yes, you put on quite a show in class today," she said sweetly. "I hope you don't continue to lose points for us."

"If you will recall, I was the only one who _earned _points."

"So I noticed. You and Professor Prince seem to be quite chummy." Lily stood and dropped her book on the couch. She approached Hermione, taking time to eye her up and down disdainfully.

"Not really. I just learned not to take shite from anyone. _Anyone,"_ she repeated, looking directly at Lily.

"Be that as it may," Lily dismissed Hermione's pointed barb, "just be careful."

"Hmmm."

Lily returned to the couch, sitting on its arm and folding her arms across her chest. "What happened between you and Snape anyway?"

"Why do you care?" Hermione stood behind a chair, placing her arms on the back to help her avoid the strong desire to hex the bitch in front of her.

"Because Snape is bad news. He is on a path straight to the Death Eaters. He's a git and not worth anyone's time."

Hermione exploded. "Where do _you_ get off? I've heard a few stories about you in the time I've been here, little Miss Gryffindor. You walk around like you're better than everyone else because you've managed to snag a pureblood boyfriend, who happens to be a complete berk. You give a good blow job or something? Is that why James keeps you around? "

"You little bitch!" Lily stood, screaming furiously, but to no avail.

Hermione stepped out from behind the chair. "Severus was good enough for you when you needed your homework done or some other thankless task. You played on his emotions knowing he liked you, probably even loved you, and would do anything for you. If you were the friend you were purported to be, then you would have forgiven words."

"How dare you!" Lily seethed.

"How dare I? Easy. I can see right through you Lily Evans. You take from people; you never give. I hope for your sake someday any children you have will never see the true you."

"You've got some nerve."

"Yes, and you're on it."

Lily reached out to slap her, but Hermione blocked it with a wandless spell. "You will never beat me Lily, _never_." Hermione turned on her heel and left the common room, headed for her dorm.

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**And yes, I know they shouldn't be sucking their fingers after handling a knife covered in Merlin knows what ingredients, but the comedic bit would have been ruined if I had them fetching Cavi-wipes first.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Happy Thanksgiving to all my American readers! I am thankful for all of you who read my stories and all the kinds words and the constructive ones, too! **

**I am thankful that JK Rowling allows us to play with her beloved characters. **

**I am thankful for Mr. Worrywart and Worrywart Jr. who have been fodder for stories...I love you both very much!**

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Chapter 8

The next morning, Hermione made sure to get up early to avoid seeing Lily. She was not sure she could keep her temper in check for very long around the red head. Quickly showering and dressing, she slipped out of the dormitory quietly and without incident.

She wandered slowly to the Great Hall for breakfast, oblivious to her surroundings. When a hand shot out from a niche and pulled her in, she yelped with fright, but still managed to whip out her wand and shove it into the neck of her assailant.

"Easy Hyacinth, no enemy here," a smooth baritone purred, pushing the wand away from his neck.

Hermione sighing with relief, pulled back her wand and looked at Severus. "What the hell? You almost made me wet myself! In fact, I think you did." She wiggled a bit, adjusting her knickers to feel by proxy if they were damp.

"Kegel exercises are supposed to be good for that," stated Severus, adjusting his robes and flicking at some bit of lint.

Hermione stopped wiggling, surprised that Severus even knew the word Kegel. "And you would know this how?"

Severus quickly changed the subject. Hermione would laugh herself silly if she knew he read the odd copy of Witch Weekly if one of the female staff members left it lying about the staff room; of course, he always charmed the cover to look like one of his potions journals. "I found some books in Binns' quarters that may help us with the runes. I think we may be able to find coherent runes to work with."

By now, the couple had left the niche. "You couldn't have told me this in detention? You had to abduct me into a dark niche? Golly Hubert, if you wanted to feel me up, you just had to ask."

Hermione delighted to see Severus' cheeks turn pink. "I had no such intention," he began, flustered, but then a small grin formed on his face. "But you were not paying attention, and I couldn't resist."

"Hmm," Hermione replied, looking at Severus with concentration. _Was that a dimple? _she thought. However, the look of suspicion on Severus' face made her look away.

"I hear you and Lily aren't hitting it off."

"Yeah, I'd love to hit her all right."

"Hermione…"

"I know Severus. It's just so hard." They stopped beside a large gothic window and leant against the sill. "I know so much about the people here, and I am so tempted just to do one little thing, but it would change everything."

She watched Severus as he thought about a response. Only in the past few years was she able to see the subtle shift in his jaw line that gave any clue to his current emotions. By the way he held it tight, she knew he was having some trouble with seeing Lily again.

"It is hard to see Lily," he began. "At first I thought I would be all right with it. But when I see her walking down the halls with James, it brings back all the hurt and anger I had."

Hermione squeezed Severus' shoulder. "I am so sorry Severus. I am sorry that you didn't have a happier adolescence."

Severus grabbed her hand and squeezed it back. "I know you are Hermione. That's one of the things I envy about you…your ability for compassion to everyone, even those who don't deserve it."

Hermione slapped him hard on the arm.

"Ow, what did you do that for?" he yelped.

"Don't ever say you don't deserve compassion. No one, NO ONE could know what you went through as a teenager or adult in the service of Voldemort," Hermione began to cry. "You were so brave and strong. You deserve everything now." She sobbed harder.

"Thank you, Hermione. Your friendship means a great deal to me; although I may wonder what I did to _deserve _it."

That set Hermione off again, and she flung herself at him, holding him tight.

"What on earth brought all this on?" Suddenly Snape realized what day of the month it was. "Uh oh, Hermione…um…it's almost 'that time' isn't it?"

She nodded her head against his chest and sniffed noisily.

"I think I should go to Spinner's End and look through some of the books I have there for anything that might help us in our research."

Hermione pulled back and took the handkerchief Severus had pulled out of his pocket. She wiped her eyes and blew her nose lustily. "Funny how you always seem to disappear around this time every month."

"Well, I've learned an angry, weepy Hermione can be dangerous," he grinned.

Chuckling, she said, "You know Severus, I've just thought of something. Do you even remember a bushy haired witch coming to the school in your seventh year?"

"I had forgotten about it, but yes, I do remember a Hyacinth Green and Professor Prince. They showed up shortly before Halloween and left before Christmas. I remember she and I were friends of a sort. We studied together and went into Hogsmeade, things like that. Professor Prince was hired because, as Dumbledore said, Binns tended to wander away. We had several fill in teachers for Binns during my student years, come to think if it. And then, ...during the Christmas holidays, I was initiated as a Death Eater, and well, they slipped my mind."

"Understandable," Hermione quietly spoke. She blew her nose again and offered the soiled handkerchief back to Severus, who grimaced and indicated she should keep it. Shoving it into her pocket, Hermione continued, "There's a Halloween dance next week, are you going?"

"As a teacher, I need to chaperone. And when have you known me to forgo an opportunity to blast the rose bushes apart?" He smiled evilly.

Hermione laughed. "I am surprised they haven't uprooted themselves and run for the hills." She looked at her watch and gasped, "Goodness, I'll just have time to grab some toast and head to class. See you later!"

* * *

You know, as I re-read the bit about Hermione handing Sev the wet hankie, I was reminded of something from my childhood. My father always carried a linen handkerchief in his pocket. One day, we were at church and I sneezed and had no kleenex of my own, so Dad handed me his hankie. It was disgustingly wet, but I had no choice. I can remember later thinking, how can he stand to have that wet cloth in his pocket against his leg? Ugh, gave me the shudders.


	9. Chapter 9

**Sorry I've not updated this in a bit. I was busy getting Sorrow into shape and posted. **

**But, here we are, back with Hyacinth and Hubert. **

**I don't own the characters, only this silly plot!**

**Remember…I am not concerned with anachronisms or twiddly plot lines here…**

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Chapter 9

Severus returned from Spinner's End at the weekend. He brought with him a book or two on runes and some volumes he found on time travel. As he wandered up the drive from the main gates, he noticed a distinct lack of students on the grounds. On a typical Sunday afternoon, even though it was a cool October day, some students would make their way out to sit in the sun to write letters home or play a game of Gobstones.

He looked up when the sound of rapidly crunching leaves came to his ear. He was surprised to see Dumbledore, prancing hurriedly toward him, his robes held up so that he could move his legs freely. When he finally reached Severus, he clutched the man's arm and stooped to catch his breath.

"Why (_gasp) _didn't you (_wheeze)_ warn us!" Dumbledore gasped.

"Warn you about what?" Severus asked, gazing not so innocently wide-eyed at Dumbledore's wheezing figure. He knew what had happened, and he was going to take extreme pleasure in hearing about it.

"Hyacinth, I mean Hermione. Apparently it's her…" Dumbledore's eyes shifted about nervously as if he expected Hermione to suddenly pop up out of nowhere. "…time of the month. I've never seen such behavior. The entire student body is in shock."

Indeed, as the two men walked into the Entrance hall, a familiar silence greeted Severus. The silence that he knew as "Hermione Silence." He noted a few students moved cautiously through the hall.

Dumbledore whispered, "No one, not even the staff, dares to talk or eat in case 'she' appears.

Severus began to laugh, "Oh come now, Headmaster! Surely you can handle such a tiny woman. She's what, 160 cm tall and 45 kg? Most of that is her hair!"

"I'd rather give Hagrid a prostate exam!" Dumbledore spluttered.

The woman herself appeared in the doorway leading from the Entrance hall to the Great Hall. Dumbledore jumped behind Severus, and several nearby second year Hufflepuffs dove for cover in the nearest broom cupboard, niche, or floor. One poor girl fainted. Hermione spied Severus and flew to him, arms outstretched.

Severus chuckled and wrapped his arms around the crying witch, stroking her hair. "It's all right, Hermione."

"You left me all by myself," she cried. "Don't wanna be all by myself anymore."

"I'm sorry. I forgot to tell them about your fix-it. Let's go; we'll find a house elf and fix you your whiskey sour. I am sorry we don't have any Monty Python movies, but maybe we can find something else?"

"That's it?" Dumbledore crept out from behind Severus, incredulously taking in what his History of Magic professor said. "Booze and Muggle moving pictures keep her from becoming Medusa on acid?"

"Not just any booze or movies; whiskey sours and Monty Python!"

====SS====HG====

Hermione and Severus were sitting on the couch in Severus' quarters, he with his feet on the coffee table, and she curled into the corner with her feet in Severus' lap. He had a house elf provide Hermione her whiskey sour and something to eat for both of them.

"You really scared them didn't you?" Severus chuckled as he spoke.

"They never saw it coming," Hermione grinned widely. "Oh, it was so fun. The first years nearly wet themselves! It was boring at our time; once the first years learn about it, it's never any fun, but here I had the entire school and staff at my mercy."

"Well, at least it's over this month. Now, I've found some interesting information while I was at Spinner's End researching."

"You mean hiding," she said, her eyebrow rising in amusement.

"Yes, well," he sniffed in dismissal at his behavior. "The equation we used was not correct, as you surmised." He held up his hand, forestalling her snide rejoinder. "We used the right ingredients, but we used two runes in the wrong spot, and we should have added the mandrake root after we stirred."

"Oh, then we should be able to get back with no trouble."

"Yes and no,' he agreed. "Yes, getting back will be as simple as redoing the potion. No, because I can't translate one of the runes, and we need a month to brew the base."

"So if we can find what the unknown rune means, say in the next week or so, and then begin immediately after that, we should be home shortly before Christmas."

"Yes." Severus looked at her, the unspoken history in his eyes.

"Your younger self took the mark at Christmas," Hermione said, quietly.

"Yes, I did." Severus looked at the fire, thinking about what happened all those years ago.

"What was it like?"

Severus rubbed Hermione's feet absentmindedly. "Painful." He turned to face her again. "More painful than anything I've ever experienced. Lucius told me Narcissa and he talked about it, and she likened it to the pain of giving childbirth. I thought I was doing the right thing at the time. He promised me wealth, woman, and what I wanted most….revenge. I got some of what he promised, but those things without meaning meant nothing."

"Severus, you know you can't-"

"Don't say it Hermione. I know."

She reached over and took his hand. "Should I change the topic?"

"Yes, please," he said gratefully.

"Dumbledore announced the Halloween party will be a costume ball," she said excitedly.

"Oh joy. Do you want some tea?" Severus shoved her feet off his lap and stood to get the kettle and place it on the hob.

"Yes, please. You'll never guess who had the nerve to ask me to go. He was quite brave considering the mood I was in last week."

"Who?"

"You."

"Younger me?" Severus asked, rather stunned.

"I know!" Hermione laughed. "It was very sweet the way you asked, too. You wrote me a note-"

"And slipped it to you during Potions. I remember now," Severus smirked.

"You asked me to meet you in the library right after lunch."

"I remember leading you to the stacks in the very back. I knew it was quiet and safe there; I used to hide there when the Marauders were particularly vicious."

"He couldn't even look at me! I had to strain to hear you. Oh, Severus." Hermione had moved to stand nearer to him and put a hand on his arm. "How could you have been so shy?"

"I was, still am for that, an ugly git. No girl ever wanted me near her unless she wanted an answer for her potions homework. Now that I am remembering it, I do remember I threw up at least four times before I asked you!"

"Well, I did say yes, do you remember?" Hermione smiled.

"It was all a blur. I couldn't believe Hyacinth actually said yes." Severus poured the tea he had prepared into two mugs and handed one to Hermione.

"Once I said yes, we decided to meet after dinner to decide on our costumes. Do you remember what we went as?"

Severus took a sip of tea, giving him a moment to think. He vaguely recalled that the woman he thought was Hyacinth Green looked spectacular, and he wished he was gallant and could sweep her off her feet. "We went as gypsies," he said, and his eyes went out of focus as he looked at the memory in his mind. Without realizing it, he blurted out, "Gods, you were gorgeous." When he realized what he said, his eyes widened, and he blushed.

Hermione normally would have teased him deliciously for his slip of the tongue, but she was stunned at his admission and could only stutter a quiet thank you.

"Well, since we know what young you and I are dressed as, what about you?"

"Oh, I don't know," he sighed. "Most people think I am bat or a vampire, I could go as a vampire."

"Not a sparkly one, I hope!" Severus raised an eyebrow in response. "Okay, that takes care of costumes then. I need to get to dinner." Hermione picked up her cloak and shoes and slipped them on. "Thanks for the drinks and tea."

Severus shut the door behind the young lioness and returned to his sofa. He gathered the remnants of their drinks, taking them to the kitchen and poured himself a glass of whiskey, neat. He tried to recall more about the young girl named Hyacinth from his seventh year and was having trouble. Why? Surely someone as wacky as Hermione/Hyacinth should be easy to remember. However, Severus was good at hiding what he didn't want found. He hid his growing feelings for Hermione, and he hid his fondness for a bushy haired woman named Hyacinth who dared to defy the other Gryffindors and attempt to become his younger self's friend.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The night of the ball finally arrived, and pandemonium was reigning supreme in the Gryffindor seventh year dorms. Lily was livid that she couldn't get into the loo in order to get ready, and disregarding her rule of toilet scrubbing, took points from anyone who got in her way.

Hermione laughed to herself as she listened to Lily screeching as she quietly got dressed in her gypsy costume. Her stomach was in knots over the fact she and young Severus would be going as a couple and would be dancing. In her own time, she cared deeply for Severus, but was unsure if he felt more than friendship for her. It hurt to have to hide how she felt about him. Perhaps tonight, she could plant the seed in his brain and years later, he would remember.

Her gypsy costume was made of several varying shades of green diaphanous material for the skirt. Transparent flats for her shoes gave the illusion she was bare-footed. Her top was a peasant blouse with ruche gathers at the front that daringly scooped down her neck allowing the tops of her breasts to peek out. She wore huge hoop earrings and several jangly bracelets. She braided her long hair so that it was off side, and the tail hung down the front to her waist. She wrapped a bandana around her head, the ends of which hung to the side. She spritzed on some perfume, headed to the common room and slipped out the portrait hole. She was to meet young Severus in the Entrance Hall before proceeding to the Great Hall.

She spied him quickly; he was wearing dark trousers bloused to the top of his boots. A wide, black sash girded his middle, and he wore a blowsy white button down shirt. He had tied his hair back into a queue with a leather band and had a gold earring in the lobe of his right ear. Hermione imagined he had magicked it there; she highly doubted his ear was pierced.

"Hi Severus; are you ready to go in?" Hermione asked as she approached him.

Severus did not answer right away, and Hermione could see his eyes widen just a bit as he looked at her. She watched as he licked hip lips and attempted to say something, but only stuttered a quiet "you look l-l-lovely" before offering his arm, and leading her into the Great Hall.

As they made their way to a table, they looked about at the other students, all dressed for the occasion. A tall man in a mask waved at Severus, and the couple veered in his direction.

"Lucius, Narcissa." Severus bowed his head to the couple.

Hermione nodded as well and took in the man and woman. Already they were a power couple and expected to marry soon after graduation. Lucius could not deign to dress in costume so he only wore a mask. He was dressed in Slytherin green robes with silver trimmings. Narcissa, also in a mask—although hers was bejeweled and had a peacock feather at its brow—was dressed in a heavy brocade cream gown with a deep décolletage and beaded trim work.

"Miss Green, how…pleasant you look," said Lucius, as he looked Hermione up and down. "Severus; come, sit. We have things to talk about."

"I see my sister," Narcissa said, clearly having no intention of speaking with Hermione if she could avoid it. "I'll just run over and see how she is doing."

After Narcissa left, Severus spoke, "I have to dance with my date before we can chat, Lucius. Surely you would not begrudge my manners?"

"Of course not, dear boy. Please dance with your…date. I'll meet you in the garden after?"

As Severus led Hermione onto the dance floor, she asked, "What was all that about?"

"He has been after me to join this club of his. He said that it would be beneficial for me to have contacts when I got out of school, given my blood status."

"What does blood status have to do with it?"

"Lucius is pureblood and his club wants to promote a more pure society. I am half blood. However, my skills with potions has attracted the attention of the leader of his club, and his patronage may help me get into an apprenticeship."

Hermione knew what this veiled speech was actually about. Voldemort had set up Severus in an apprenticeship, and that was how he gained his Mastery. However, Severus would learn very quickly at what cost his patronage to the evil man was.

"Severus, do you really want to do something like that? What do you really know of Lucius and his club?"

"Lucius has been good to me. On occasion, he has helped with Potter and Black, even though Black is Cissy's cousin. I don't have a lot of money, so unless I find a patron or get a scholarship, I won't be able to get an apprenticeship or even go to University."

Hermione hadn't realized just what Severus might have gone through prior to his return to Hogwarts as a professor. Yes, she knew that he took the Dark Mark at Christmas during his seventh year, and that he was the one who heard the prophecy. She was well acquainted with all that happened in the intervening years, but the details of his years between graduation and Lily's death were unknown to her. This may be the chance to learn about them, even if she couldn't change them. She opened her mouth to ask another question, when a sneering voice interrupted her.

"What's this? Snivellus is dancing with Hyacinth? Hyacinth, I could have escorted you, and I would have been a much nicer date than Snivelly. Are you covered in grease now?"

Hermione could feel Severus tense as they stopped dancing, and he let her go. From the corner of her eyes, she saw his hand twitch toward his wand, but Hermione placed a firm hand on his arm, and said, "Black, take a hike. I told you weeks ago I wasn't interested, and I haven't changed my mind."

"That's because you haven't given me a chance," Sirius whinged. "All you do is hang around with Snivelly."

"And that's another thing," Hermione growled. "His name is Severus or Snape. Not Snivellus or Snivellly."

"Oh, _Snape_," said James imperiously, "a girl coming to your rescue? You must be a mama's boy."

"Hardly," sneered Severus, "but at least she defends her friends." He gave a long look at Lily, who had the audacity to become angry.

"Well, perhaps that's because he hasn't called Hyacinth something unforgiveable," she said coolly.

Hermione got in Lily's face. "Well, perhaps someone needs to learn that when someone is angry, they don't always have the best judgment." She turned her head and took Severus' arm. "C'mon, Sev. Let's get a drink and leave these…_children_ to find something to do on their own."

The pair walked away, leaving a somewhat angry group of Marauders behind.

After getting a drink, Severus suggested a walk in the garden to cool off. The way he nervously asked her left Hermione wondering what was his intent. She admitted to herself she wouldn't mind him finding a concealed spot and perhaps stealing a kiss. As they walked, hand in hand, they saw Professor Prince striding along blasting rose bushes. This set Hermione giggling.

"What's so funny?" Severus asked.

"Look at Professor Prince," she said, pointing in his direction.

Severus looked where she was pointing. "Uh-oh, I know some couples who are going to be severely brassed off."

"Like who?"

"Bella Black and Dolph LeStrange. I heard them talking at dinner last night that they were going to have a bit of fun this evening, if they could sneak away."

"Won't they be surprised then? Come on; let's find a place of our own to sit," said Hermione.

They were quietly chatting and did not hear Professor Prince come up behind them. Both students jumped when he spoke, "What have we here? Two students canoodling?"

Hermione choked. _Canoodling?_ Oh, she'd let older Severus have it for that!

Severus spoke, "No, Uncle. We are not _canoodling_," he sneered. "We were just chatting."

"Be that as it may, students are to be in the Great Hall. Ten points from Slytherin. Get going, Snape. Green, stay here. I need to assign you a detention."

"For talking?" she asked incredulously.

"Yes, for talking outside of the Great Hall."

Severus hurried away from the angry professor, giving Hermione a consoling smirk as he went.

"What was that for, Severus? We weren't doing anything, you know that."

"Yes, I know, but I needed an excuse to give you detention. I was speaking with Flitwick earlier, and he knows of a book that will help us translate the rune. He will give it to me tomorrow morning. Come to my classroom at one o'clock, and we'll get started."

Hermione agreed, and Severus turned to head back into the castle. She sat for a few minutes, hoping younger Severus would come back, but he did not. She was making her way back to the building when she heard raised voices coming from the far end of the garden. Quietly, she made her way over.

"Lucius, I am not sure. Some of your ideas are a bit archaic. Who is this Dark Lord, anyway?"

"He is a man who can grant you, Severus, all of your dreams. He can help you get revenge on Potter and Black, he can fund your apprenticeship. He can give you everything you dream of."

Hermione couldn't believe Severus would fall for this claptrap. But, she had to remember that in this time period, Severus was still feeling the loss of Lily, and anyone who could promise to give him the love of his life, and more, was bound to appeal to the man who so wanted to be loved.

"I'll think about it Lucius. When do you want an answer?"

"I told the Dark Lord I could bring you to a meeting during the holidays."

"I'll be here at the castle during the holidays."

"You could come to Malfoy Manor. We could have our meeting, and then you could come back to school early."

"I'll have to let you know."

Lucius nodded in reply, and the boys shook hands and parted, Lucius heading toward the castle and Severus standing still a moment longer. It wasn't until Hermione sneezed that he moved, and when he discovered she was nearby, he was angry.

"What you were doing, eavesdropping?" he hissed.

"I wasn't eavesdropping," she said hastily.

"What do you call hiding behind a bush then?"

"I dropped something."

"Don't lie to me Hy."

"Why do you listen to him, Severus? He's full of shite."

"He's my friend."

"He's going to lead you down a wrong path, I just know it."

"No he isn't. He's going to introduce someone to me that could help me."

"I don't like it."

"You don't have to."

"You're my friend, shouldn't you be willing to listen to any advice I might have for you?"

"I would if you were giving good advice," Severus sneered.

"Good advice? Where were you when I was defending you?"

"You didn't have to do that; I could have taken care of myself."

"Oh, yes. Whipping out your wand and hexing them." She crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow. "Four against one? Good thinking."

"I don't ask you think for me."

"Apparently not, or you wouldn't be willing to make such a stupid decision as joining Lucius Malfoy's club!"

"You have no business-"

"You're right, I don't! Just leave me alone Severus. I don't want to talk to you right now."

"Hyacinth…" he beseeched, reaching a hand toward her.

"No, Sev. Just let me go for now." She whirled around and left the garden, knowing that she probably left Severus wondering if he'd just lost another friend he cared very much about.

* * *

YIKES! A fight. I promise they'll make up very soon. And I promise one of our pair will kiss, very soon! Drop me a line and let me know what you think.


	11. Chapter 11

**Thanks for reading! I had a guest reviewer who didn't like how I portrayed Hermione at the end of Chapter 10. The guest felt she went from normal to bitch too fast.**

**I am sorry if that is the perception I gave you. My intent was to show that she was simply frustrated and angry because she knew what was going to happen, and she was unable to change it without changing the future. I know I said that I was not going to be fussed with time travel do's and don'ts, but that is the one thing I did keep to…not changing events. **

**I don't mind that the guest pointed that out. It simply tells me that I must think about how my words will be perceived and ultimately, it will make me a better writer.**

* * *

Chapter 11

Hermione returned to the common room in a hurry. She was so mad at how young Severus behaved, but knew she could do nothing to change his perception or the path he was destined to follow. She was also frustrated because of her growing feelings for Severus, both younger and older. Stepping through the portrait hole, she was met with the stern faces of Lily, James and Sirius.

"I told you he was up to no good," sneered Lily. "Now that you know, you can just let him go."

"Let him go, why would I do that?" asked Hermione, confused.

James spoke, "Look, you don't know him like we do. He's just bad news; him and all his other Death Eater pals."

Sirius sidled sleazily up to her. "C'mon love, let's go get cozy by the fireplace. I'll help you take your mind of the greasy git."

Hermione had had enough. She reared back with her fist and landed dead center on his nose. "Fuck you. Fuck all of you!" She turned around and stomped out of the portrait. She needed to find Severus…her Severus, her Hubert.

She arrived out of breath at Severus' office and knocked. After a moment, the door opened. Severus was standing in his trousers and shirtsleeves, having abandoned the rest of the vampire costume he had worn. "Hermione, are you all right? You look upset." He opened the door wider, but the little witch just stood there. Tears sprang to her eyes, and she launched herself at him. "I thought you already passed your time of the month?" he asked, confusion lacing his voice.

Hermione laughed wetly. "No, it isn't that. Younger you and I had a fight in the rose garden."

"About what?"

"What do you think?"

"Ah." He pushed Hermione off his chest and pulled her to the couch. "Sit. Do you want some tea?"

"Yes." She was still wearing her gypsy costume and shivered a bit in the cool air of the room. Waving her wand at the fireplace, fire sprang to life and immediately warmed the area.

Severus came back with the tea and sat beside her. "If I remember that night correctly, you overheard a conversation between Lucius Malfoy and myself?"

"Yes. He was trying to convince you to be a Death Eater." She took a noisy sip of her tea. "Severus, what was it that attracted you to that? What could you have possibly thought that following philosophy would lead you to a better life?"

"Aside from what you already know, you mean?" Severus asked.

Hermione knew that Severus was aware that she was one of the few people Harry showed _all_ of his memories.

"I must admit the whole unrequited love angle, while utterly romantic in a _Jane Eyre_ sort of way, never quite sat right with me. There must have been a whole school filled with attractive girls that made you mad enough to call names, if not _that_ name."

"I had a crappy home life," he said frankly, his face showing no emotion. "Lily was the first to give me even the smallest scrap of love. Who wouldn't hang on to that if you were starved for affection? My parents didn't even love me."

"We saw that in your memories though," Hermione confirmed.

"Yes, but you didn't see the rest…the memories I didn't give Harry. You didn't see my parents fighting constantly. You didn't see my father rape my mother. You didn't see my mother stand back while my father attempted to beat the magic out of me.

"You didn't see that day after day the Marauders plagued me; that day after day the other students shunned me." By now, Severus was clutching his mug so that his knuckles whitened, and he spoke through gritted teeth. "Weeks after weeks of being told I was ugly, greasy, being called Snivellus by not only Black, but the other students as well. What boy, longing for love and acceptance wouldn't cling to the one person who represented that?

"And then, I ruined it in one final moment when all my years of frustration and anger came crashing together."

Hermione watched as his face registered a brief flicker of pain before he took another drink and spoke again.

"I began to think that all I deserved was ridicule and derision…darkness. So, I gravitated to the dark and what it could offer. Lucius said the Dark Lord would give me everything I wanted. They would help me get revenge on everyone who made my life miserable."

Hermione looked at Severus' profile as he stared at the fire. She considered what he said, how he must have felt…abandoned…bereft of love…needy…willful...confused when he realized what being a Death Eater really meant.

Purely on impulse, she pulled Severus to her, placing his head in her lap and began to stroke his hair. "Severus, I am so sorry you went through all of that; you know I am. But what would it have taken to turn you away from all that in the first place?"

"A friend, Hermione. A friend like you." He grabbed her hand and kissed it. "If only one person bothered to care."

"What about Dumbledore?"

"Pfft. You know Dumbledore only used me, too. If he had given a shit, he would have expelled Black and Potter that night after the Whomping Willow."

There was nothing really to say after that. Both just looked into the fire as Hermione continued to card her fingers through his hair. When she sensed he had fallen asleep, she carefully moved his head and stood. Looking down at his peaceful face, she took the rug lying over the back of the couch and slipped it over him. Leaning down to his ear, knowing in his sleep he wouldn't hear her, she whispered, "I would have been your friend then, Severus, and I am your friend now. I will never betray you."

She closed the door quietly as she left.

====SS====HG====

Hermione was reading the assigned chapter over again as she waited for History of Magic to begin. Severus finally entered, using his usual door slamming performance. Half the class still jumped. One poor sap even managed to choke on his Bertie Bott's.

"Right," said Severus, "before we get into the plight of Wizards during Britain's Dark Ages, hand in your homework." There was a decidedly deadly silence throughout the room broken only by the sound of a lone piece of parchment being pulled from a bag. Hermione was the only one to walk to Severus' desk to pass in her homework.

"Is Miss Green the only one to have her homework finished? I thought we had covered this already? Very well, with the exception of Miss Green, all of you have detention. You will meet me tonight in the entrance hall at eight o'clock. Be sure to have your cloaks. Now, open your books to chapter four."

The hair on Hermione's neck bristled from the death glares she was receiving from the rest of the class.

As soon as the bell rang, the entire class leapt up to leave. There was a scrum at the door, and it wasn't until the smallest of the seventh years, Forsythia Fenster, was forced out like puss from a spot, that the students cleared the area.

Hermione approached Severus' desk. "Detention outdoors? Do you have a death wish?" she asked incredulously.

"Not really, but one of the ingredients we need will be ready to harvest tonight, and why not use some helping hands?"

"You're talking about the Enchanted Nightshade? You know they need to be collected with dragonhide gloves. I don't remember hearing you tell them to be sure to bring their gloves."

Severus grinned evilly.

"Ah," Hermione said. "Shall I tell Madam Pomfrey to whip up a few extra batches of anti-pruritic cream?"

"You will not," he commanded. " By the way, here's the book Flitwick gave me. While I am relaxing this evening in the forest, I want you to work on the runes we need to figure out." He fished a book out of his robe and handed it to her. "Now run along; you'll be late for your next class, and I certainly don't want to be responsible for you cleaning toilets."

"Too right you don't," Hermione said, pulling the door open to leave

"Hyacinth?"

"Yes, Hubert?"

"I would never betray you either."

Hermione's eyes widened, and then she smiled and left the room, her heart full.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Hermione managed to slip into the potions classroom as old Sluggie was closing the door. "Miss Green, you're very near late."

"Sorry, sir. Professor Prince detained me after class."

"All right. Take your seat."

Hermione sat next to Severus, her usual greeting falling on deaf ears.

Slughorn began the lecture. "Today we begin the base for the Draught of Living Death. Who can tell me the properties of…"

Class droned on while Slughorn lectured. Hermione was busy taking notes and taking covert glances at her seatmate. He looked like had hadn't slept well last night, and the bruises under his eyes stood out against his pale skin. The scraping of chairs brought Hermione from her thoughts, and she stood retrieve her potions, only to accidentally crash into Severus as he stood.

"Watch where you're going, stupid bint," Severus hissed.

Hermione gasped, "How dare you!"

Severus ignored her and walked away toward the student cupboard. Hermione followed and quickly gathered her ingredients. She returned to the table and set up her work area. It was then that she realized she did not have her silver knife. Normally Severus would let her borrow his, and so she reached for it only to have her hand slapped away.

"It's not my fault you don't have your equipment, Green. You'll have to make other arrangements; you'll not be using my things today."

"Oh, come on. You've let me use your things lots of time."

"Things change. Deal with it." Like a petty miser, he pulled all of his equipment and ingredients closer to him and bent to his task.

"Bastard," Hermione whispered. She was mad at his pettiness, so as he was looking at his Potions text to see what the next set of instructions were she levitated some Fluxweed into his cauldron. The effect was immediate. She buried her head in her own text so as not to look suspicious.

It was when she was thrown to the floor by a hex that she realised he knew what she had done. She leapt up, whipped out her wand and began hexing and calling him several names, some of which made the entire class gasp.

"Expelliarmus!" A voice shouted, and their wands flew from their hands. Slughorn, purple with rage, hurried over to them. "Not only have you destroyed your work, you've wasted ingredients, and some of your hexes hit the other students. Both of you; to the Headmaster at once!"

Severus and Hermione glared at each other and headed to the door. Hermione swung it open, went through and quickly slammed it shut before Severus could come through.

When he finally caught up with her at the gargoyles leading to the headmaster's office, he had several choice words for her, but before she could counter, the gargoyles slid open, and they had a tussle over who went first. The voice of the headmaster behind them brought them to their senses.

"Stop this at once! I wouldn't have not believed it of you, Miss Green, to behave in such manner. And you, Mr. Snape…you are usually very courteous despite the rather discourteous treatment you receive. Now, Miss Green, please go first. Mr. Snape, you next."

The students sat in front of the headmaster at his desk. "Now, one of you explain to me what happened."

Both students started to speak so Dumbledore held up a hand to stop them. "Miss Green, if you would."

Hermione cleared her throat. "_Mr_. Snape and I had a disagreement during the Halloween ball. Apparently, he feels I have betrayed him or somehow given him bad information."

"I do not think that!" Severus interrupted.

"Let her speak; then you'll have your turn," Dumbledore cautioned him.

"I only wanted him to consider his actions before he did anything that could be detrimental to his life." Hermione widen her eyes pointedly at Dumbledore.

"Mr. Snape? Your turn."

"While I _appreciate_," Severus drawled, "Hyacinth being concerned for my well-being, the fact of the matter is I need to make certain decisions, or I will not be able to become a Potions Master. The people who can help have offered me a position, but Miss Know-it-all seems to be certain I shouldn't take it."

"So you argued?" Dumbledore asked, knowingly.

"Yes," they said together.

"It is a fact of life that friends will argue, especially when each friend may have a different view of what the facts are." Dumbledore looked directly at Hermione. "Miss Green, you are, without a doubt, a caring, loyal friend, and that can lead you to assume that your opinion is the option to choose."

Hermione gaped at the Headmaster. "I…I.."

"You must learn, Miss Green, that the decisions one makes must be their own. It is perfectly all right for you to offer your opinion, but you must not infer that it is the correct one. You must allow people, even your friends, make their own mistakes. It is only through making the mistakes and learning from them, do we reap the reward of knowledge we have learned."

"Yes, sir," Hermione spoke quietly, her heart breaking because she knew what Severus' ultimate decision would be and where it would lead.

"I suggest the two of your apologise, and put this behind you," said Dumbledore.

Severus and Hermione turned to each other and spoke quick apologies.

"Now, as it is nearing lunchtime, I suggest, Mr. Snape, that you head to the Great Hall. Miss Green and I have something else to discuss before I dismiss her."

"Yes sir. Hyacinth," Severus asked hesitantly, "shall I save you a seat in the library after lunch?"

"That would be nice, Severus, thank you."

She watched Severus walk out of the door and turned back to the headmaster.

"Professor Prince asked me to locate one last book you and he needed to complete your task." Dumbledore slid a small green book toward her. "Hermione, I know you don't want to see young Severus make the choices he is making, but you must let him. You jeopardize _your _future. Be confident that you know that when you arrive back in the future, his journey and pain will be behind him."

Hermione cried silently. "I am sorry, Albus. But it is so hard. I love him. He was so miserable for so long. Since the war, he's been better, happy even, and such a friend. Older Severus and I talked about it these last few weeks; he told me he wished he had had a friend like me when he was younger; he would have been happy his whole life instead of just learning to be happy when he is forty-one years old."

"Wizards live a long time, Hermione. He can and will be happy for many more years that he was not. Remember that."

Hermione stood, wiping her eyes. "Thank you, Headmaster, thank you." She smiled at him. "I'd better get down to lunch. Severus and I need to talk before I meet his younger self in the library this afternoon."

"Very good then. Good Day!"

====SS====HG====

"Okay, then. We finally have the corrected rune translation. Tonight we'll meet to redo the calculation of the sandstone rune, but we can at least start the base. If everything goes well, we should return around the second week in December." Severus snapped the book shut.

Hermione was melancholy. "Would you believe, I don't want to leave?"

"Why?"

"I don't want to leave younger you. I don't want you to make that decision."

"I know." Severus said quietly. Silence passed between them. He inhaled deeply and quickly changed the subject. "Now, I must go; I've got a few deplorable essays left to correct. Say, do you have any red ink by chance? I've run out."

Hermione laughed. "Perhaps if you did not use it as though you were painting a sunset on the essays, you wouldn't run out of it so quickly!"

"You mock my grading scale?"

"I mock your painting scale! Here." She pulled some ink from her robe pockets.

"Still no school bag?"

"No. I can't believe how much better my back feels!"

"Get on with you, you'll be late for you 'date' with younger me," he laughed.

"Jealous?" Hermione winked as she left the room.

"Very," murmured Severus.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Hermione made her way through the stacks in the library to the study area. There she found Severus the younger bent over a book, his nose practically rubbing the page, hair tucked behind his ear. She could not resist taking advantage of the fact he did not hear her, quietly flicking her wand at him, murmuring a spell.

A white feather appeared behind Severus' head and tickled a bare bit of skin by his ear. She muffled her giggles as his head shot up and he smacked his neck. He looked about for what he assumed was an insect. It wasn't until she managed to stick the feather in his ear, and she could no longer contain her giggles, that he realized someone was up to something.

Unfortunately, his reaction was not what Hermione expected. He hexed first and then asked questions. As Hermione lay in a heap of Rictasempra and Silencio, he stood over her with a smirk. "That'll teach you to sneak up on people." He removed both spells.

Hermione caught him again off guard and sent a tripping hex his way, and he fell beside her. Feeling a bit foolish and angry, he rolled over and grabbed Hermione, tucking her under him. "Be careful, tiny witch, of those who are bigger than you; they'll often get the better of you when you least expect it." He raised his wand to hex her.

It was then that the pair realized their positions. Hermione was, to Severus' delighted astonishment, tucked quite comfortably and warmly beneath him, her head fitting nicely in the crook of her neck.

Hermione was realizing that Severus was not so much skinny as rather wiry of build. He emanated a comforting warmth, and his weight felt safe against her.

Their eyes locked on each other, and they held their breaths. Reaching up with one hand, Hermione tucked the black hair hanging in her face behind the pale ears of the man above her. Instead of moving her hand away afterwards, she ran her fingers down Severus' cheek and jaw, ending at his Adam's apple, which she felt move beneath her pads as he swallowed.

Severus' body reacted to the touch. The warmth of her fingers burned a trail down his face and any blood flow destine for his brain diverted for areas south of his navel.

A kiss was inevitable. It was a long time in coming. _It would be very welcome,_ he thought. _It would be very wonderful,_ she thought. They could feel the warmth from each others lips just as they began to touch. More blood diverted south.

They sprang apart and leapt to their feet when footsteps and the rustling of robes announced a student or adult heading their way.

"I thought I heard a ruckus back here," stated the prim voice of Madam Pince.

"I dropped a book, Madam," said Hermione, "and Severus helped me pick it up. We knocked heads in the process."

"All right then." Madam Pince turned and left the couple to their work. The pair awkwardly adjusted disheveled clothing, and Severus turned away to make a discrete adjustment to his trousers.

"So, um, what did you want to study?" Hermione asked.

"I was wondering if you would show me some of the wand movements for the Transfiguration homework we have. I have never been good at foolish wand waving." He blushed spectacularly, but Hermione couldn't tell if it was admitting he was pants at Transfiguration or from remembering the intimate moment between the two.

"All right." She opened his Transfiguration text to the page assigned.

An hour later, Severus finally got the movements down and could recreate them as Hermione had shown him. "It is time for me to head to DADA," he said.

"I've got History of Magic. I'll see you later then."

"Hermione?"

"Yes?"

Severus quickly leaned in and kissed her. It was gentle and sweet, and it only took a moment for her to respond, moving closer to Severus, her hands at his waist. After a few minutes, Hermione pulled away, smiling. "I'll see you later, Severus."

====SS====HG====

Severus and Hermione stood at the counter in Severus' little kitchen watching the base brew. Beside them on the counter was laid out the rest of the ingredients, including the Enchanted was the plant that Professor Prince had the class harvest for detention. Hermione had taken great delight in watching the students enter class the next day covered in the tell-tale pink of Madam Pomfrey's anti-pruritic.

"Well, said Severus, "the base is done. It will need two weeks to simmer, and then we can add the final ingredients. Once that is done, we will bottle it and then…"

"And then we will be back to our own time?" Hermione hopefully asked.

"We can hope."

"And if we don't?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it, I suppose." Severus shrugged his shoulders.

"It's very unlike you to not have a plan."

"I've been stuck babysitting a Gryffindor too long; it's rubbed off," he smirked.

Hermione smacked Severus lightly on the arm. "Shall I make some tea?"

Severus walked over to his couch and flopped down. "No, I'll call to the kitchens. The cauldron simmering is making it humid in here. No need to add a steaming teakettle to the mix."

"Oh," said Hermione delightedly. "I am a bit hungry, can we get some biscuits, too?"

"Did you not eat supper just two hours ago?"

"You've had me working like a dog here," Hermione said, waving her hands over the ingredients she had been preparing for the last hour. "I've worked it off."

"You remind me of Ronald Weasley….couldn't wait to fill his gut at every opportunity." He stood again and flooed the kitchens. When he was done, he turned to find Hermione lying on his couch. "Budge up," he told her. She lifted her feet and when he sat, she put them in his lap. "By the way, what is Mr. Weasley doing these days or in our days, I should say?"

"Not that I care, but the last I heard, he had really put his foot in it." Hermione replied reaching for the teacup he held out for her.

Severus quirked an eyebrow at Hermione, indicating that she should continue her story.

Hermione had been grateful for Severus' no nonsense attitude as he had had to deal with her emotions in the aftermath of her and Ron's rather public break up during her first year of apprenticeship.

Ron, who apparently had no clue about the woman he was supposed to marry, did not take kindly to Hermione's refusal to stay at home as he indicated would be the course of action upon their marriage. She intended on completely her apprenticeship and any further education. Unfortunately, she told him this while at dinner in Diagon Alley, and the entire restaurant played host to the explosion of emotions that took place.

Clearing her throat, she explained, "I had a letter from Ginny shortly before we went on our adventure a la Dr. Who. Seems someone forgot how to perform a contraception charm. Two witches will now lay claim to most of Ron's earnings since he can only marry one of them, and he is apparently is not inclined to do so at all with either. Molly is having a fit."

"Does that bother you?"

"No, not really. The more time has gone by, the more I realise it never would have worked out for us." She bit her lip as she realised what she said also applied to Severus and Lily. She hoped she hadn't upset him; he tended to go quiet about the subject any time it came up.

"I have realised myself that would have been the case between Lily and I." Hermione must have gasped without knowing it because Severus looked at her. "Surprised?"

"Um, yes, I suppose. You loved her deeply."

"I did," Severus agreed, reaching for a biscuit and dunking it in his tea. "But as with you, time has helped me put things into perspective. This trip has also helped me see things about Lily I didn't then. I will always harbor feelings for her, but they are not those of love. I know that now."

They sipped their tea in silence and watched the flames of the fire. Severus' warm hand would rest on Hermione's feet between sips of his tea.

"Severus?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you remember when I asked you if you remembered a Hyacinth or Professor Prince in your past? At the time you answered that you did, but most likely it was your taking the mark at Christmas break that made you forget."

"Yes, I remember. Why do you ask?"

"For as many times as Vol-the Dark Lord rummaged around your head, he never found them? Not even Dumbledore when he looked for things?"

"Dumbledore only had a short window of opportunity to rummage through my head, as you put it so eloquently, before I mastered Occlumency. The times he looked for were only information related to my meetings. The Dark Lord, however…" he drifted off a moment. Putting his teacup on the table in front of him and now resting both hands on Hermione's feet, he began again.

"I had learned as part of my Occlumency training, and as a defense mechanism of my own, to layer memories within memories. To hide what I didn't want found, I would change the players….substitute those I didn't mind sacrificing, much like in a chess game. I more than likely did that with the memory of Hyacinth. I seem to recall a moment in the library that I didn't particularly want the Dark Lord, or Dumbledore, to know about."

Hermione could feel the heat of her cheeks as she blushed under his gaze. "So I changed the players…the memory the Dark Lord saw was not of me and Hyacinth, but rather Sirius and one of his tarts."

"And now that you know the true memory, what do you think?"

Uncharacteristically for Severus, he got up and said, "I think it's time for you to leave."

Hermione was confused, but did not press Severus for details. She learned early on in her apprenticeship that Severus could be quite vindictive if pressed to do or say anything against his will. "Alright. Good night, Severus; I'll see you in class tomorrow." She slipped out of his rooms quietly, tears running down her face.

====SS====HG====

Severus stared at the simmering cauldron on the kitchen counter for a while, angry with himself. Of course, he remembered the time in the library. His brain connected the true images in his mind as they talked about it. It brought to light how he felt about the witch he knew as Hyacinth, who also happened to be the witch he knew as Hermione. He didn't want to deal with the fact that he still cared deeply for the one, and was falling in love with the other, or both; he was confused.

With a snort, he grabbed a bottle of firewhiskey. A long bath and the bottle would be rather comforting right now.

====SS====HG====

The remaining weeks until the potion was ready went by quickly. There was no repeat of the kiss in the library, but Severus and Hyacinth could be seen together more and more. The trip to Hogsmeade right before Christmas break found them in the bookstore quietly reading, side by side.

"What are you doing for the holiday, Hy?" Severus asked.

"I am going to my parents, and then we are going to see my aunt in France," Hermione lied. She hated to do this, but it was better for him not to be worried about her.

"I have been invited to Malfoy Manor for the holidays."

"Will you be meeting the leader of his club?"

"Yes, I believe so."

"Ah." Hermione turned to look at the young man beside her. "I wish you would rethink your joining them."

"I have thought about this Hy, but it's the only way I'll be able to become a Master. My parents left me no money, and I don't have a patron for a scholarship. I don't know why you are so concerned about my joining their club. Hogwarts has clubs, and even Muggles have clubs like this."

"Well, not exactly like this," Hermione countered. "Just please, please be careful. Think about everything that you will learn and everything you will do before you do it. That's all I am asking. C'mon," she cajoled, pulling his arm. "We'd better head to the castle."

As they entered the Entrance Hall, Professor Prince approached them. "Mr. Snape." He inclined his head toward his younger self. "Miss Green, you need to come with me. The headmaster would like to see you. Get to your common room, Snape. Supper will be in an hour; you need to clean up a bit," Professor Prince said, taking in the slightly disheveled form of his younger self.

"Yes, sir. Shall we meet tonight in the library, Hy?"

Older Severus cut in, "I am afraid that won't be possible. She will need to finish up her detention with me after she is through speaking to the headmaster."

"Oh, all right then. I'll find you tomorrow, before the train leaves?"

"That sounds lovely."

Young Severus walked toward the dungeons, and Hermione turned to Severus. "It's time, isn't it?"

"Yes. I am sorry to be so abrupt about this. It will serve its purpose, however."

"I know," Hermione whispered.

Severus led the way to his quarters. "Dumbledore knows we are leaving. He will clean up things here and make suitable excuses." He handed Hermione a phial.

"If this doesn't work, what then?"

"We'll deal with that if it happens. Bottoms up."

They both drank down the phials, shuddering as they did so. For both, the reaction was instantaneous.


	14. Chapter 14

**Pssst. If you're reading this chapter STOP! I have posted all the remaining chapters today, so go back to chapter 11 and start reading. I say this in case you aren't on the email notification for this story. **

**The reason I posted the remaining chapters is because A: I promised a kiss to some of you in chapter 11 and it doesn't happen then, and I didn't want to keep you waiting, and B: I simply must concentrate on my entry for the Secret Santa challenge on The Maple Bookshelf. If you haven't checked that site out, please do! We have such fun over there.**

**So many thanks to my sister, and to Onecelestialbeing, Whisper_gypsy, xpage394x, and TycheSong for all your valuable support and teaching. I am, as Severus' favorite words describes, a dunderhead, but you've all be incredibly patient with me, and I am in your debt.**

**And now…**

Chapter 14

Severus and Hermione regained consciousness after only a few moments. Each sat up rubbing their heads and surveying the damage.

Hermione looked at Severus. "Hubert?" she asked tentatively.

"Hyacinth?" Severus asked as tentatively back, and Hermione shook her head. "It is a good thing Albus is already dead, I would kill him for giving me that name," he said.

The couple chuckled.

"Do you remember everything, Hermione?"

"I do. How about you?"

"Unfortunately."

"Severus, we talked about this. Yes, younger you would have to go through a lot, but when we got back, it would be over."

"But it doesn't make it easier, does it?"

"I suppose not." Hermione sighed.

They had talked about this situation time and again while in the past. They knew Severus would be dealing with the emotional issue of knowing he could have changed his decisions in the past if he could, influencing young Severus in his role as Hubert Prince, but Hermione and Albus had gone to great lengths to ensure it didn't happen, no matter if they wanted to change things either.

As the couple finished washing the cauldrons, Hermione was thinking hard about her relationship with Severus. She felt her knowledge of her snarky Master has increased now that she knew how young Severus felt, and that only enriched her feelings for the man the young boy had become. She found herself blurting out, "Severus, do you care for me?"

Severus stopped wiping a cauldron mid wipe. "How do you mean?"

"I mean as more than a friend. We were quite close before the accident, or at least I think so. I feel closer to you now, but for me, those feelings have turned to something a little more than friendship."

Severus set the rag and cauldron down and stepped toward Hermione. "Hy, I do care for you. I do care for you more than just as a friend." He put his arms on her shoulders and pulled her closer. "I don't want to be alone anymore; seeing myself as I was then made me realize how stupid and lonesome I was then and later. I will always care about Lily, but I can't be happy with a ghost. I _could_ be happy with you, and if these last three years taught me anything, they have taught me that I am happy with you." He leaned down and kissed her.

It was not a long kiss, nor a deep one. It was full of comfort and promise, and Severus and Hermione were quite pleased with it. When it was over, Severus slid his hands down her arms and took both hands in his. "Shall we see where this goes?"

Hermione smiled. "I would like that." She kissed him again, and when she pulled back, she was happy to discover that Severus did indeed have a lovely dimple in his smile.

====SS====HG====

One Year Later

Hermione finished her final year with flying colors. Her relationship with Severus had strengthened and deepened, and they had consummated it about three months after it began (and Hermione was very happy to realize 'how nice for her' when she learned just how nature had made up for the nose).

Her bedroom in Severus' quarters became a storeroom once again as she spent all of her nights with him now.

One afternoon, shortly before Hogwarts' Graduation Day and Hermione's own final day of apprenticeship, she wandered in their quarters to find Severus at his desk with papers all around him. She went to the desk and touched a few papers. "What's all this?"

"I am thinking it's time for a change," he answered mysteriously.

"A change how?"

"Now that you have completed your apprenticeship, you have a couple of options. You could stay on at Hogwarts as a co-teacher with me, living in sin, or you could decide we're through and go off into the sunset riding Buckbeak or Witherwings or Wap Capulet, whatever he's calling himself these days."

Hermione looked shocked. "You don't honestly expect me to up and leave, do you?"

"Well, if you insist on remaining an annoyance to me, there is one other option."

"And…?" She gave him the poppy eyeball thing.

"These papers are the deed and drawings to Slig and Jiggers in Diagon Alley. Slig and Jigger wish to retire and have written me with an offer to take over the place. What if you and I leave Hogwarts together, buy the shop and run it …together? There is a flat over the shop. We could continue to live in sin or..." at this point he opened his hand and showed Hermione a gorgeous tear drop diamond ring with green emeralds on either side of it. "Or, you can marry me and make an honest man of me. And still run the shop."

Hermione tapped her lips with her finger. "Hmmm, so many options. Co-teaching with you is desirable. Living in sin feasible. Riding off into the sunset with, what was it you called him—Wap Capulet?—would mean that I wouldn't have to pick up your boxers and socks that you insist on leaving all over the place. Do you know how embarrassing it was the other day when Minerva came in and found your boxers under the table in the kitchen?"

"You said you couldn't wait to get to the bedroom; that the kitchen table was sturdy enough…"

Hermione waved her hand at him to stop him talking. "The last time I rode a flying creature I was dumped in a lake, no fun that. But what was that last option again?"

"HERMIONE!" Severus hollered and then closed his eyes to breathe deeply. "I am asking you to marry me. Will you or won't you?"

"Will."

"Is that a yes?"

"Yes, you idiot. Yes, I will marry you, and we will leave Hogwarts together and run a shop."

Severus stood up and took Hermione's left hand in his right and slipped on the ring. "Good that's decided," he said. He began to drag Hermione to their bedroom. "Now, let's practice making the children," he said gleefully.

"CHILDREN?" Hermione gasped.

**Thank you so much for reading my story. You've been so kind with your reviews and placing me and this story on your favorites. I have another little story planned to begin publishing in January, but as I said, I must work on my challenge story first! I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I hope that however you celebrate in your family and in your country, it will bring you joy.**


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